Automatic transmission



June 16, 1942. R. E. KELLER AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION Original Filed March 14, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. AEx 0 KELLER 5 ATTORNEY.

June 16, 1942 KELLER 2,286,549 7 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION Original Filed March 14, 19:54 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' INVENTOR. Q

ATTORNEY.

9 EX ,5. muf Patented June 16, 1942 1 UNITED STATES AT I OFFICE 1 Claims. (Cl. 74336) This invention relates to transmission mechanism and particularly the application of automatic speed changing mechanisms to various types and arrangements of power transmitting mechanism operable for providing variable speed driving connections between a driving shaft and a driven shaft. The present application is a di vision of my application, Serial No. 715,513 for Automatic transmission, filed March 14, 1934.

As illustrated in the accompanying drawings, an automatic speed changing mechanism including driving and driven clutch members having a centrifugally operable bolt carried by one of said members and operable upon synchronization of the rotative speeds of said clutch members for positive locking engagement with the other of said clutch members, is provided for effecting changes in the ratioof the driving connection between a driving shaft and a driven shaft, between which shafts an overrunning clutch having an element operatively connected to each of said shafts is provided for effecting-an initial one-way driving connection for initiating the rotation of said driven shaft and the clutch members connected thereto.

A principal object of the invention is to provide an overdrive transmission for driving a driven shaft at a rate faster than that of a driv ing shaft with an automatic speed changing mechanism for effecting a change from a direct to an overdrive with manually operable means whereby selective changes in the character and ratio of the driving connection may be made without regard to the automatic speed changing mechanism.

Another object of my invention is to provide a simple, compact and reliable overdrive transmission of the character described wherein overdrive gearing is embodied in the countershaft of the transmission together with an overrunning clutch and an automatic centrifugal clutch, and this assembly is so associated with driving and driven shafts and a shiftable clutch and an overdrive clutch so as to afford the advantages and purposes hereof in a particularly efficacious manner.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from a reference to the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, of which there are five sheets and in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of a portion of an automotive vehicle and illustrating the application thereto of an overdrive transmission embracing my invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal view, partly in section of automatic transmissionmechanism embodying my invention; I

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section taken in a plane on the-line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and illustrating the details of a centrifugal clutch forming part of this invention;

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section taken in a plane on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, illustrating the details of an overrunning clutch forming a part of this invention;

Fig. 5 is a detailed view of the mechanism for shifting parts of the overdrive transmission illustrated in Fig. 2.

Referring now to Fig. 1 of the drawings, there is shown, more or less diagrammatically, a portion of an automotive vehicle having an engine 6, a housing-enclosed clutch mechanism 1, a change speed gearing 8 provided with a manipulative shift lever 9 for adjusting the same, and an overdrive transmission l0 provided with a dash control ID for selectively adjusting the same.

In one embodiment of my invention, a driving shaft II has a gear l2 fixed thereto and in constant mesh with a gear l3 rotatably mounted in a suitablebearing M. A gear l5, fixed to a driven shaft l6 for rotation therewith, is in constant mesh with a gear I! fixed for rotation witha countershaft l8, one end of which is journaied in a suitable bearing I9 and the other end of which is journaled in a bore in the gear l3. An externally splined shaft 20 is journaled in gears l2 and I5 and has splined thereto a slidable sleeve 2| which at one end thereof is provided with an external set of teeth 22 adapted to mesh with an internal set of teeth 23 provided on the gear I2 for the purpose of locking the intermediate shaft 20 to said gear for rotation therewith. The sleeve 2| at the other end thereof is provided with a toothed clutch element 24 which is adapted to be engaged with an internal set of teeth 25 provided on an annular flange 26 which may beformed integral with the gear I5.

An overrunning clutch 21 of the type disclosed in Fig. 4 of the drawings is disposed between intermediate shaft 20 and the annular flange 26 of the gear l5 for providing a one-way driving connection between the shaft 20 and the gear l5 so that the latter may rotate at a rate in excess of that of the shaft 20. As shown in Fig. 4, the flange 26 serves as the driving member of the overrunning clutch 21 and the driven clutch member 28 is formed integral with shaft 20 and provided with eccentric raceways 29 in which spring loaded rollers 30 are mounted. These rollers are arranged to be moved between the pposed surfaces of the raceways and said flange, into and out of wedging and driving contact with said surfaces. When the flange 26 is driven in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 4, the rollers will be moved towards the smaller or shallow ends of the raceways and thereby wedge between the driving and driven members whereby to drive the shaft 20. At this time the driven member and shaft 20 will be free to rotate in the same direction but at a higher rate of rotation than the flange 26, inasmuch as rotation of the driven member at a higher rate will cause the rollers to be moved into the deeper ends of the raceways, out of driving contact with the overrunning clutch members. Sleeve 2| shifted to the left, looking at Fig. 2, to mesh teeth 22 thereof with teeth 23 of the gear I 2 for locking the intermediate shaft 20 for. rotation with gear l2. Further movement of sleeve 2| to the, left will couple teeth 24 and 25 which will effect a two-way driving connection between gears I2 and I5, as a result of which the driven shaft l6 will be driven in unison with the driving shaft II, as in high gear, or direct driverelation.

Gear 3 is provided with a portion 3|. which provides a driving member of a second overrunning clutch 32 of the type illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings and is provided with a set of internal teeth 33 cooperable with an externally toothed clutch element 34 slidably splined to the countershaft l8 for affording a positive lockedup overdrive connection between the driving and the driven shafts and through the intermediary of gears |2, 3, clutch. element 33, countershaft l8 and gears i! and I5. The annular driven element 35 of the overrunning clutch 32 surrounds the portion or driving member 3| andis provided with a plurality of bolbengaging recesses 36 which are adapted to receive movable bolts 37 carried by a driven or core clutch member 38. This core is rotatable within the annular driven member 35. The clutch members 35, 38 and the bolts 37 provide a centrifugalli actuated clutch of the type illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, which is operable responsive to centrifugal force and as here shown is adapted to effect a driving connection between gear l3 and countershaft l8. The centrifugally actuated clutch as shown in Fig. 3 has each of its bolts 37 mounted in. a groove 39 in the core 38 and normally retained therein by means of a spring 46 disposed in a bore 4| in the body of the bolt. One end of the spring is engaged with a pin '22 fixed to the core and extending through a relatively large opening 43 in the bolt. The other end of this spring engages an adjustable plug 44 threadedly mounted in the bore 4| whereby the tension of the spring may be varied. The core 38 is provided with a spring-pressed poppet 45, backed by an adjustable plug 46 and bearing against one side of the bolt 31 so that it may engage in a. notch 41 of the bolt when the latter is in ,projected position, for delaying the inward movement of the bolt under influence of the spring 40. The bolt is movable outwardly responsive to centrifugal force resulting from rotation of the core 38 at a rate which may be selected byadjustment of the plug 44 to vary the tension of the spring 40, and by a second spring urged poppet 48. This second poppet is carried by the core 38. for engaging in a notch 49 for delaying theoutwardmovement of the bolt. Inasmuch as the, poppets delay the movement of the bolt from one of its positions is adapted to be.

to the other under influence of centrifugal force or of the spring 40, there will be a difference between the rotative speeds of the core 33 at which the bolt moves from one of its positions to the other. The spring-pressed poppets will insure a quick positive movement of the bolts from one position to the other and prevent a hang-up of the bolts in an intermediate position.

Each bolt 37- is provided with a tapered or inclined outer end 50 which will cause the belt to jump the recesses 36 until the rotative speeds of the clutch members and 38 are approximately synchronous, at which time the bolts will be centrifugally extended to lock said members together.. Deceleration of the rotative speed of the core 38 below that necessary to hold the bolts extended, will permit the spring 4t to move the belts to their inner positions.

As shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the toothed clutch element 34 is in engagement with the teeth, 33 or in other words, gear l3, but the clutch member 34' may be relieved from engagement with said teeth by shifting the same to the right, as a result of which only the teeth 5| of the core clutch member 38' Willbe meshed with toothed clutch element 34.

A lever 52 suitably secured at 53 to the case of the overdrive transmission is provided with an arm 54 engageable with a shifter rod 55 carrying a fork 56 which is engaged with a collar 56' on member 34 and is operable for, shifting clutch member 34 upon the countershaft I8. The lever 52 is provided with a second arm 51 engageable with a shifter rod 58 carrying a yoke 59. which is engageable with a groove 59' on sleeve 2| for shifting the same upon the intermediate shaft 2ll. It wilLbe observed that movement of the lever 52 upon its, pivot 53 is adapted to move clutch member 34 in a direction opposite to that in which clutch sleeve 2| is moved so that when sleeve 2| is shifted to the left to couple teeth 22 and 23,, the clutch element 34 will be shifted to the right so as to be relieved from engagement with teeth 33 provided on the gear I3, while further movement of sleeve 2| to the left to couple teeth 24 and teeth 25 will uncouple the slidable clutch element 34 from engagement with teeth 5| provided on the core clutch member 38.

Assuming that sleeve 2| has been shifted to the left, looking at Fig. 2, to couple teeth 22 and 23, a one-way direct driving connection. will be afforded. between the driving and the driven shafts through clutch 21, as a result of which clutch element 35 of the centrifugal clutch now driven by gear l3 will be rotating at a definite rate of speed, while the core clutch element 38 of the centrifugally actuated clutch will be rotating at a lower rate of speed since the same at such time will be driven from the driven shaft through gears l5 and H, as a result of which a relative rotation between the elements of the centrifugal clutch will exist. Subsequent to the attainment of a predetermined speed of rotation by the core clutch element 3.8 which will be suflicient to move the bolt 3'! outwardly to engage in. the bolt-engaging recesses 36, if the speed of rotation of the clutch element 35 is decelerated to that of the core clutch element 38 such as by temporar closing of the throttle governing the speed of the engine, the bolts 31 will be moved into the bolt-engaging recesses 36, as a result of which gear l3 will be connected to drive countershaft l8, whereby the driven shaft l6 will be driven through gears |5, |1, the

centrifugally actuated ziclutchiand .gears' .13 :and [2 at a higher rate: of rotation than that afforded by the direct one-way driving connection, since the gears 13 and l on the countershaft will provide a stepped-up or overdriveconnection between the driving and 1 the driven shafts.

It will now be apparent that I provided a novel automatic transmission in which th'e automatic overdrive gearing is :associated with the counter-shaft and gearing thereon in a particularly novel manner affording selective and automatic change speed operationsas :desired with a comparatively simple, compact and reliable mechanism.

I'claim:

1. A transmission comprising: a d iving shaft and a driven shaft, anintermediate :shaft alined with the driving anddriven shafts-anoverrunning clutch arranged for operatively connecting said intermediate shaft with said driven shaft to provide a one way driving connection, a sleeveslidable on said intermediate shaft having spaced clutch portions thereon, and clutch members connected with said driving shaft and one member of said'overrunning clutch whereby when said sleeve is shifted in a givendirection a two-way direct driving connection maybe established betweensaid driving and driven shafts, and means including gearing connecting said driving and driven shafts around said sleeve and an automatically operable clutch for drivingthe driven shaft at a speed in excess of that provided by said direct driving connection.

2. A transmission comprising: a driVing shaft and a driven shaft, an intermediate shaft alined with the driving and driven shafts, an overrunning clutch arranged for'operatively connecting said intermediate shaft with said driven shaft toprovide a one-wa driving connection. asleeve V slidable on said intermediatev shaft having spaced clutch portions thereon, and clutch members connected with said driving shaft and one member ofsaid overrunning clutch whereby when said sleeve is'shifted in a given "direction a twoway direct driving-connection maybe esshaft when said sleeve is disconnectedfrom the driving and driven shafts.

3. A transmission comprising: a driving .shaft and a driven shaft,.an intermediate shaftalined with the driving and driven shafts, .a'n overrun- .ning clutch arranged for operatively connecting said intermediate shaft'with said driven shaft to provide a one-waydriving connection, a sleeve slidable on saidintermediate shaft havin spaced clutch portions thereon, and clutch members connected with said driving shaft and one. member of-said overrunning clutch whereby when said sleeve is shifted in a given direction a twoway direct driving connection may be established between said driving and driven shafts, a counter gear offset from the axis of and continuously driven from said driving shaft, a second countergear alined with said first countergear and drivingly connected with said driven shaft, and an automatic clutch interposed between said first and second countergears cooperating with said gears for overdriving said driven shaft when slidable-on said intermediate shafthaving spaced clutch portions thereon, and clutch members connected with said drivingshaft-and one member of said overrunning clutch whereby when said sleeve is shifted in a given direction a, twoway direct M driving connection maybe established between said drivin and driven shafts, a

pair of alined gears drivinglyconnected with said driving and driven shafts, respectively, an-overrunning clutch having one member-thereof'continuously driven by the driving shaft, an automatic clutch having one of its members-drivingly connected with the other member of said "last mentioned overrunning clutch, the other member of said automaticclutch adapted to be drivingly connected with the driven shaft, and shiftable means for selectively connecting and disconnecting the first member of the last-mentioned overrunning clutch relative to the second member of the automatic-clutch.

5. A transmission comprising: a driving shaft and'a driven shaft, an intermediate shaft alined with the driving and driven shafts,-an overrunning clutch arranged for-operativelyconnecting said intermediate shaft with-said 'drivenshaf-t to provide a one way-driving connection, a sleeve slidableon said intermediate shaft having spaced clutch portions thereon, and clutch members connected with said driving shaft and; one member of said overrunning clutch #whereby when said sleeve is shifted in a given directiona twoway direct driving connection may 'be established betweensaid driving and driven shafts, a pair of alined gears'drivingly connected with said drivin and drivenshafts, respectively, an over- "running clutch havingone member thereof continuously driven by the driving shaft, an automatic clutch having one of, its members drivingly connected withthe other-member of saidlast mentioned overrunning clutch, the other .member of saidautomatic clutch adapted to beodrivingly connected'with'the driven shaft, and shiftable means for selectively connecting'and. disten- .nectin g the first member of the last mentioned overrunning clutch relative tothe second memberof .the automatic clutch, andcornmon means for .:simultaneously shifting said sleeve and said ,shifltable member in the selection of a desired .speed for said driven shaft.

and an overdrive mechanism including a pair of alined gears drivingly connected with said driving and driven shafts, respectively, an overrunning clutch having a drivin member driven through one of said gears, an automatic clutch having a driven member adapted to be drivingly connected with said other gear, a driven mem her for said second overrunning clutch and a driving member for said automatic clutch drivingly connected together, and shiftable means for selectively rendering said overrunning clutches and said automatic clutch operative so as to provide a one-way drive and two-way direct drive and an overdrive for the driven shaft.

7; A transmission comprising: a driving shaft and a driven shaft, an intermediate shaft alined with the driving and driven shafts, an overrunning clutch arranged for operatively connecting said intermediate shaft with said driven shaft to provide a one-Way driving connection, a sleeve slidable on said intermediate shaft having spaced clutch portions thereon, and clutch members connected with said driving shaft and one member of said overrunning clutch whereby when said sleeve is shifted in a given direction a two- Way direct driving connection may be established between said driving and driven shafts, and an overdrive mechanism including a pair of alined gears drivingly connected with said driving and driven shafts, respectively, an overrunning clutch having a driving member driven through one of said gears, an automatic clutch having a driven member adapted to be drivingly connected with said other gear, a driven member for said second overrunning clutch and a driving member for said automatic clutch drivingly connected together, and shiftable means for selectively rendering said overrunning clutches and said automatic clutch operative so as to provide a one-way drive and two-Way direct drive and an overdrive forthe driven shaft, the drive member of said second overrunning clutch and the driven member of said automatic clutch having corresponding clutch portions and said shiftable means hav-' ing a clutch member adapted to selectively engage said clutch portionsfor drivingly connecting the same when said sleeve is shifted in a given direction.

8. A transmission comprising: a driving shaft and a driven shaft, an intermediate shaft alined with the driving and driven shafts, an overrunning clutch arranged for operatively connecting said intermediate shaft with said driven shaft to provide a one-Way driving connection, a sleeve slidable on said intermediate shaft having spaced clutch portions thereon, and clutch members connected with said driving shaft and one member of said overrunning clutch whereby when said sleeve is shifted in a given direction a two-way direct driving connection may be established between said driving and driven shafts, and an overdrive mechanism including a pair of alined gears drivingly connected with said driving and driven shafts, respectively, an overrunning clutch having a driving member driven through one of said gears, an automatic clutch having a driven member adapted to be drivingly connected with said other gear, a driven member for said second overrunning clutch and a driving member for said automatic clutch drivingly connected together, and shiftable means for selectively rendering said overrunning clutches and said automatic clutch operative so as to provide a oneway drive and two-way direct drive and an overdrive for the driven shaft, the drive member of said second overrunning clutch and the driven member of said automatic clutch having corresponding clutch portions and said shiftable means having a clutch member adapted to selectively engage said clutch portions for drivingly connecting the same when said sleeve is shifted in a given direction, and means connecting and for reversely shifting said sleeve and said shiftable member in the selection of a speed for the driven shaft.

9. An overdrive transmission comprising: a driving shaft and a driven shaft, a longitudinally shiftable member therebetween, a gear on said driving shaft and a gear on said driven shaft each having clutch portions on adjacent sides, clutch portions on said shiftable member adapted for selective engagement with the clutch portions on said gears, an overrunning clutch operative between the shiftable member and the driven shaft, said clutches adapted to provide a positive direct and a one-way drive, selectively, between said shafts; a pair of alined counter gears drivingly connected, respectively, with the gears on said shafts, a second overrunning clutch driven from said drive shaft gear, an automatic clutch having one member thereof drivingly connected with a member of said second overrunning clutch and its other member adapted to be drivingly connected with said driven shaft gear, and shiftable means for controlling the operation of the driven shaft through said second overrunning clutch and said automatic clutch.

10. An overdrive transmission comprising: a driving shaft and a driven shaft, a longitudinally shiftable member therebetween, a gear on said drivin shaft and a gear on said driven shaft each having clutch portions on adjacent sides, clutch portions on said shiftable member adapted for selective engagement with the clutch portions on said gears, an overrunning clutch operative between the shiftable member and the driven shaft, said clutches adapted to provide a positive direct and a one-way drive, selectively. between said shafts; a pair of alined counter gears drivingly connected, respectively, with the gears on said shafts, a second overrunning clutch driven from said drive shaft gear, an automatic clutch having one member thereof drivingly connected with a member of said second overrunning clutch and its other member adapted to be drivingly connected with said driven shaft gear, and shiftable means for controlling the operation of the driven shaft through said second overrunning clutch and said automatic clutch, and means operatively connecting said shiftable member and said shiftable means for simultaneous operation.

REX E. KELLER. 

